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HSI/Canada and MP Peggy Nash Host a Screening of "Sharkwater" in Toronto

Humane Society International/Canada

The tide is turning against shark finning. Michael Stubblefield/istock

Last week, Humane Society International/Canada and Member of Parliament Peggy Nash raised awareness about the harm caused by shark finning among Toronto Parkdale—High Park constituents by co-hosting a screening of "Sharkwater," the award-winning documentary by Canadian filmmaker Rob Stewart. The film serves as a call to action in response to the threat that shark finning poses to sharks and our ocean ecosystems.

Toronto City Councillor Sarah Doucette, HSI/Canada Campaigner Nicholas Wright and Member of Parliament Peggy Nash (via video) spoke at the special event.

On the issue of shark finning, Ms. Nash said, “Many of my constituents are highly concerned about the plight of sharks and the impact it is having on our world's oceans. The work that HSI/Canada and other organizations are doing in raising awareness about the cruelty involved in the shark finning industry and in building support for Bill C-380 is incredibly important and will hopefully go a long way in putting an end to this horrific industry.”

Shark finning is the practice of catching sharks, cutting off their fins and dumping the animals back in to the water, often while still alive, to slowly die by suffocation or predation by other animals. In 2012 alone Canada imported over 106,000 kg of shark fins.

The screening comes in the lead-up to the March 27th second reading of Member of Parliament Fin Donnelly’s Bill C-380, which would prohibit the import of shark fins to Canada. A recent poll conducted by HSI/Canada found a vast majority of Canadians (81 percent) support a federal shark fin import ban. Tens of thousands of Canadians have also written letters and signed petitions in support of municipal and federal shark fin bans.

With the support of individual Canadians, dedicated political representatives and citizens’ groups, we are hopeful that Canada will soon stand up as a leader on the global stage in the fight to protect sharks by passing Bill C-380 into law.

Interested in learning more? Download our fact sheet on Bill C-380 in English or French.

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